White House denies staffer threatened Watergate journalist Woodward

http://www.foxnews.com ^ | 2/28/2013

[RoosterRedux]

The White House is denying reports an adviser threatened famed Watergate journalist Bob Woodward after the Washington Post reporter challenged President Obama's version of events on the looming sequester.

Woodward claimed Wednesday night that a White House aide sent him an email saying he would "regret" his comments. The aide was not identified, but an official familiar with the exchange told Fox News it was National Economic Council Director Gene Sperling. That was after Woodward wrote a column this past weekend claiming Obama was trying to re-write history -- regarding not only whose idea the sequester was, but also how it would take effect.

Woodward wrote that based on his reporting earlier in the budget battle, the president was trying to move the goalposts by trying to replace the sequester with a mix of tax hikes and spending cuts -- instead of solely spending cuts.

After Politico reported late Wednesday that Woodward was coming forward to claim he was threatened, a White House aide denied the claim.

[sickoflibs]

They didnt threaten him, they were refering to his conscience saying it will bother him, ‘you will regret...’ means ‘you will feel guilty some day’..

This one is pretty funny, Woodward giving them an unexpected headache.
So when does the Obama regime call Woodward a Right Wing fanatic?

Hey, O is re-elected. They are free to be critical now.

[edcoil]

Already has on Politico

http://www.politico.com/story/2013/02/woodward-at-war-88212.html?hp=t1_3

[RipSawyer]

“We are very close to losing democracy and freedom.”
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

The way I see it we are not close to losing freedom, it has already been lost. As for democracy, that is what we were never supposed to have, in fact we were warned against it, we were supposed to have a constitutional republic, the republic was lost long ago and a perverted democracy was forced on us, now the de facto democracy is evolving to an unconstrained oligarchy which will be seen as a dictatorship but the dictator is merely a puppet operated from behind the scenes by a group which is bent on the total destruction of the USA.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROnbwCf37EA

[popdonnelly]

Wow, that’s a surprise. I thought they’d admit it.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Somebody's lying.

Is it Bob?

Or is it Barry?

Every word that comes out of Barry's mouth is a slithering lie. Why would this time be any different?

[AppyPappy]

The Obamedia is sending the flying monkeys after Woodward.

[baddog 219]

[Girlene]

From the article:

According to Politico, Woodward said he was "yelled at" by an Obama aide over his weekend column in the Post. Then, he said he received a page-long email from the aide -- apparently Sperling -- that said: "I apologize for raising my voice in our conversation today. ... You're focusing on a few specific trees that give a very wrong impression of the forest. But perhaps we will just not see eye to eye here. ... I think you will regret staking out that claim."

So was the email saying he would regret "staking out that claim" because the emailer thought he was wrong, or because there would be payback, like reduced access or slurring his reputation, or ?

The whitehouse is trying to say they were warning Woodward he would regret being wrong in his claim that the admin had proposed the sequestor AND that getting rid of the sequestor never included tax increases. But Woodward wasn't wrong. So......

[riri]

Well, now I would bet it’s gone from threats to little signals. Maybe a dead animal on the front porch. That email will never see the light of day.

[Girlene]

Of course they're trying to cover that this was any type of threat other than worrying about Woodward's reputation...... except Plouffe said this in the article:

Former Obama adviser David Plouffe tweeted Wednesday: "Watching Woodward last 2 days is like imagining my idol Mike Schmidt facing live pitching again. Perfection gained once is rarely repeated."

Plouffe sounds like he's impugning Woodward's reputation.......ridiculing him.

[RoosterRedux]

Here's the email. I trust Woodward's assessment of the situation and this email's mention of regret is probably tied to something that was said in the meeting.

From Gene Sperling to Bob Woodward on Feb. 22, 2013

Bob:

I apologize for raising my voice in our conversation today. My bad. I do understand your problems with a couple of our statements in the fall — but feel on the other hand that you focus on a few specific trees that gives a very wrong perception of the forest. But perhaps we will just not see eye to eye here.

But I do truly believe you should rethink your comment about saying saying that Potus asking for revenues is moving the goal post. I know you may not believe this, but as a friend, I think you will regret staking out that claim. The idea that the sequester was to force both sides to go back to try at a big or grand barain with a mix of entitlements and revenues (even if there were serious disagreements on composition) was part of the DNA of the thing from the start. It was an accepted part of the understanding — from the start. Really. It was assumed by the Rs on the Supercommittee that came right after: it was assumed in the November-December 2012 negotiations. There may have been big disagreements over rates and ratios — but that it was supposed to be replaced by entitlements and revenues of some form is not controversial. (Indeed, the discretionary savings amount from the Boehner-Obama negotiations were locked in in BCA: the sequester was just designed to force all back to table on entitlements and revenues.)

I agree there are more than one side to our first disagreement, but again think this latter issue is diffferent. Not out to argue and argue on this latter point. Just my sincere advice. Your call obviously.

My apologies again for raising my voice on the call with you. Feel bad about that and truly apologize.

Gene

From Woodward to Sperling on Feb. 23, 2013

Gene: You do not ever have to apologize to me. You get wound up because you are making your points and you believe them. This is all part of a serious discussion. I for one welcome a little heat; there should more given the importance. I also welcome your personal advice. I am listening. I know you lived all this. My partial advantage is that I talked extensively with all involved. I am traveling and will try to reach you after 3 pm today. Best, Bob

Source

[I want the USA back]

The white house is not believable in anything it says or does.

[Clyde5445]

For those who don’t want to go to Politico here is the e-mail from the White House:

From Gene Sperling to Bob Woodward on Feb. 22, 2013

Bob:

I apologize for raising my voice in our conversation today. My bad. I do understand your problems with a couple of our statements in the fall — but feel on the other hand that you focus on a few specific trees that gives a very wrong perception of the forest. But perhaps we will just not see eye to eye here.

But I do truly believe you should rethink your comment about saying saying that Potus asking for revenues is moving the goal post. I know you may not believe this, but as a friend, I think you will regret staking out that claim. The idea that the sequester was to force both sides to go back to try at a big or grand barain with a mix of entitlements and revenues (even if there were serious disagreements on composition) was part of the DNA of the thing from the start. It was an accepted part of the understanding — from the start. Really. It was assumed by the Rs on the Supercommittee that came right after: it was assumed in the November-December 2012 negotiations. There may have been big disagreements over rates and ratios — but that it was supposed to be replaced by entitlements and revenues of some form is not controversial. (Indeed, the discretionary savings amount from the Boehner-Obama negotiations were locked in in BCA: the sequester was just designed to force all back to table on entitlements and revenues.)

I agree there are more than one side to our first disagreement, but again think this latter issue is diffferent. Not out to argue and argue on this latter point. Just my sincere advice. Your call obviously.

My apologies again for raising my voice on the call with you. Feel bad about that and truly apologize.

[COBOL2Java]

The white house is not believable in anything it says or does.

The White House doesn't care what you or I believe. All they have to do is make sure they can continue to convince the 51+% of the low-information voters.

[sickoflibs]

RE :”Plouffe sounds like he's impugning Woodward's reputation.......ridiculing him. “

That clip was played on The Morning Joe and FNC F+F this morning,

This fight is an unexpected headache for Obama empire.
It shows that this fight is not like the others.

This one could be fun for a change.

[sickoflibs]

RE :”Plouffe sounds like he's impugning Woodward's reputation.......ridiculing him. “

That clip was played on The Morning Joe and FNC F+F this morning,

This fight is an unexpected headache for Obama empire.
It shows that this fight is not like the others.

This one could be fun for a change.

[longtermmemmory]

Morning Joe is very pathetic when it comes to protecting democrats and in particular obama and obamasocialists.

Joe is the parrot.
mika is the sweater.
the guests are the flying monkies.

[Girlene]

It would be nice. I have a feeling it will blow over soon; nothing touches obama. It IS nice to see Drudge fanning the flames, though.

[BwanaNdege]

I seriously doubt that Vince Foster died in Ft. Marcy Park.

[RoosterRedux]

I may indeed blow over quickly.

However, because the sharks taking little bites out of the WH are Woodward and Lanny Davis and because they are indeed drawing blood (at least some threats) from the WH, it is possible this is just getting started.

Both Lanny and Woodward need all the press they can get, and this stuff keeps them in the headlines and keeps their books and speaking engagements in demand.

Also, it is important to keep in mind that because both Davis and Woodward are seasoned professionals, they now how to sense weakness and a bona fide story.